The Man Called Freedom: The Saoirse
by Atlantean Pineapple
Summary: After the battle for Exile, some have risen up in small attempts to oppose Empress Sophia, but a mysterious ship, the Saoirse, has been taking care of the uprisings. But is the Saoirse friend or foe? And why is it's captain so obsessed with the Silvana?
1. The Mysterious Man

_Disclaimer: I do not own Last Exile._

The Man Called Freedom- The Mysterious Man

_He didn't know how it came to be that he was floating. He didn't know how he could feel so numb and be in so much pain at the same time. He didn't know why he couldn't feel the rush of the wind or see everything blurring by or feel the final agony as his body crushed against land before his light would forever go out. He didn't know. He didn't understand. It should all be over now…_

**2 Years Later**

"They say it is a ship called _Saoirse _captained by a man who calls himself Freedom who has been stopping all these attacks," grunted Vincent.

Sophia sighed. "It was foolish to think that we would remain in peace forever. Not all people of the Guild were filled with malice and not all others are filled with goodwill. There was bound to be someone who would want to take the place of power that the Guild left behind."

Vincent was silent for a moment and then smiled fondly. "All of the mystery surrounding this guy… it kind of reminds me of Alex."

Sophia looked down, smiling sadly. "I suppose it would," she whispered.

Vincent frowned. _She's still not over his death… _"Sophia… did you ever… did anyone ever find his body?" He had hoped there would be something; something to give her some closure.

"You were there." Her voice was tight and barely restrained. "You saw the explosion. I shot him out of the sky. If Delphine didn't kill him, the explosion did. He would have been disintegrated either way."

"I know. I guess I just hoped. I shot him out of the sky once, too, but I guess that was a little different." He hadn't died that time. There had been no way to be sure that time.

"It was." Sophia quickly got control of her emotions and said, "But this isn't about him. This is about this _Saoirse _you were saying has been aiding us the past few months. I know I shouldn't mess with things that are a great help to us, but… for all we know, he could simply be another contender for the power. The fact that he hasn't contacted us worries me."

"I know what you mean. After all we've been through, I would love to believe that all we have here is an eccentric pilot with a desire to do good deeds, but considering our experience…" He sighed. "I think we need to make a move."

Finally, a small smile returned to Sophia's face. "Perhaps Tatiana and Alister would be willing to transport a message."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"The _Saoirse_, huh?" said Tatiana.

"That is correct. Have you heard of it?" asked Sophia, a little surprised.

"Of course," Tatiana said with a soft laugh. "That ship's gained an amount of popularity that rivals the _Silvana _back when… well, back when." Tatiana shifted her gaze to the empty space beside Sophia.

"Except in the _Saoirse_'s case, both ship and captain are seen as heroes among the public rather than legendary nightmares," said Alister.

Sophia blinked in confusion. "Then how is it I haven't heard of it until recently?"

Tatiana shrugged. "It's been a busy year, ma'am."

"And as the Empress, you wouldn't exactly go where one might find this information," Alister added quietly.

Sophia looked out the window. "That is true. Well then, Tatiana, Alister. Will you accept this mission?"

The two girls glanced at each other and then back at their old vice captain. "Yes, ma'am!" Tatiana said, saluting.

"Of course we will," Alister added with a smile.

"Good. You must make haste and be very careful. Despite the rumors, we know very little about the captain of the _Saoirse _and even less about his feelings about guests. So I repeat: be careful."

_-o-O-o-_

_Something was around him. It was circular and had a strange sheen to it. Like a giant, all-encasing bubble. But the bubble wasn't encasing everything. It was only holding him. Him and…_

_-o-O-o-_

"I don't know how we did it, Alice, but we finally did it."

It had taken a month. A month of traveling from dock pub to port to fuel station and prying for any and all information they could get on the ship captained by Freedom. They found very little on its location, but finally, _finally_, they had gotten the one tip that would lead them in the right direction.

_I suppose even mysteriously appearing legend ships need to refuel sometimes. Once that kid pointed out the direction they went…_

It had been easy to guess where the ship was headed. She knew it was a very good place to lay low, as long as nobody knew you were there. And though she also knew that any captain deserving of the title would also realize this, she knew very few who were willing to risk it.

_The Dragon's Fangs._

The place brought back so many memories, so many good ones, so many painful ones, and so many that she could never think on without feeling her heart sink just a little. _Captain…_

"Approaching Dragon's Fangs dead ahead." Alister saw Tatiana cringe slightly, and she felt her stomach squirm. "Sorry," she said. "That was a bad choice of words."

"It's alright, Alister. Let's get in there and find this _Saoirse_."

"And hope he likes vanships."

"Aye!"

The jagged, jutting cliffs of the Dragon's Fangs sliced through the fog like old broken bones, forming a natural defense against other ships. The fog cloaked them, and would keep them hidden until they came closer to their target. Of course, that meant that the _Saoirse _was also hidden.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Captain, a vanship is approaching on our starboard side."

"Allow them to approach far enough to see their message."

"Yes, sir!"

"The vanship is signaling. 'Tatiana, pilot under the good Empress Sophia, comes with a message from Her Majesty.' She is requesting permission to land."

There was silence a moment. "Give it."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Looks like they aren't going to shoot us down just yet," Tatiana muttered.

"We have permission to come aboard," said Alister.

"Roger that."

The _Saoirse _was a beautiful ship. But that didn't put the vanship pilot and her navi at ease as they hopped to the floor of the dock and were met by four members of the crew.

"We'll take you to the captain to deliver your message, and then escort you back here. You will not linger."

Tatiana's chin jutted forward slightly. "What if our message requires a response?"

The man frowned, but it seemed he did so to suppress a smirk. "Then the captain can change his orders if he feels like it."

_-o-O-o-_

_Who had it been protecting? Was it possible that she had been wrong? Could it be that this was payment for his part in the whole thing?_

_-o-O-o-_

When they entered the bridge, they saw a white-clad back taking up the space before the captain's chair. Tatiana's eyes followed the navy-edged cloak to the tightly bound black hair dangling in one mid-length bunch. The small amount of skin that was exposed on his neck was covered in a strange curling, twisting black pattern. As she peered closer at the markings, she thought she could just make out the form of a rose peeking from beneath his collar. He didn't turn.

"Are you the captain of this vessel?" Tatiana asked.

The head nodded. "I am," he said softly, just above a whisper, though it hinted at a rumbling voice.

"I have a message…"

The captain raised his left hand, the skin design stretching out from under the sleeve as well. One of the men who had led them to the command center stepped forward and took the message tube from Tatiana's fingers. She opened her mouth in protest before the crewman simply walked to the captain and placed it in his waiting hand. She pressed her lips together in irritation.

Moments passed.

"It would appear…" came the barely audible voice of the captain, "… that you must remain while I make my reply. Please return to your vanship. I will have one of my men deliver the response when it is complete."

"I hardly think that's…" Tatiana said, her annoyance growing to anger at this new dismissal.

"I assure you that the captain will not make you wait any longer than absolutely necessary."

Tatiana glared at the man who spoke, but simply turned and walked from the bridge, mumbling something harsh under her breath. As Alister turned and followed her friend, the man called Freedom smiled.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Freedom kept his back rigidly toward the door until he had finished writing his reply and had safely sealed it. Even then, he didn't move until the report came that the vanship was out of his hold and flying steadily away. But at those words, he whipped the white cloak from his shoulders to reveal a simple black uniform. He reached up to the back of his head and tugged the leather tie impatiently from his hair, letting it fall in gentle waves around his face. He sighed as he sat back in his chair, closing his eyes for a moment as he let his back relax.

"Sir… was that completely necessary? We do not want to insult…"

"I understand, Morwey, but I simply did not wish to reveal my face so soon." The captain's voice was no longer soft, but rich and strong. He opened his eyes and smiled casually. "Let's keep them guessing for a while."

The crewman chuckled. "Aye, Captain!"

_-o-O-o-_

_The bubble was shrinking, tightening around him with every passing second. It was going to crush him. The space he was confined to was shrinking smaller and smaller, pushing him closer and closer to his only company… fifteen red roses._

_-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-_

_**Author's Note**:_ Thank you so much for reading this story. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated. Best wishes to you all, A.P.


	2. The Changed Man

_Disclaimer: I do not own Last Exile._

The Man Called Freedom- The Changed Man

_It was cold. So very cold. He wondered how long one could survive in a place like this. He wondered if he wanted to. Was this a gift Exile had given him? Or was it one last attack from a dying weapon? He could think of no other explanations._

_-o-O-o-_

"We completed our mission, ma'am. Here is the captain's response."

The smile slipped from Sophia's face at the cold tone of Tatiana's voice.

"Did something happen, Tatiana?" she asked worriedly.

"No. The captain was just very… disrespectful."

"How so?"

"He wouldn't even look at us. He stood with his back to us and hardly said ten words before sending us back to our ship to wait for him to send his letter with some crewman."

Sophia was a bit disappointed. She had hoped for a pleasant man that she would have to meet with, not someone she would have to work to hold her temper around. She couldn't stand captains that thought they were worth so much more than everyone else.

"So we still don't even know what he looks like?"

"All I can say is he is strongly built, reasonably tall, and he had black hair easily long enough to tie back." Something seemed to occur to her. "And he has these… tattoos… I saw them at the back of his neck and around his wrist. I think one may be a rose."

Sophia's eyebrows drew together. "How strange," she murmured. Suddenly, she opened the capsule that held the words of this mysterious captain. She pulled out a sheet of parchment and her eyes moved from side to side as she read. Her lips thinned and then her eyes widened. "… Is that… is that where you found him? The Dragon's Fangs?" she asked softly.

Tatiana looked down. "Yes, ma'am."

She didn't look up from the paper. "He accepted my wish for a meeting, but requests that I meet him there as a sign of good faith. He asks that I keep my escort to a minimum and he promises to be on his best behavior 'if I would grant him these small things.'" She looked up then. "I can see why he would get on your nerves, Tatiana."

Tatiana smiled slightly. "I knew you would agree with me if he writes like he speaks."

Sophia smiled mischievously. "Oh, I don't find him obnoxious in the slightest. I find it rather amusing. I'm simply saying that I can see how he would get on _your_ nerves."

Tatiana's mouth dropped open. "S-Sophia! Ma'am!" She was both insulted and surprised at the turn in her leader's mood. Despite the fact that she was being made fun of, she was glad to see a smile on the Empress' face again. She frowned. "Amusing. Hmph! We'll see how amusing you find it when you meet him in person," she huffed. But she couldn't keep the small smile from slipping back onto her face.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Are you sure it is wise to bring her to this location, Sir?"

Freedom turned his head slowly, lazily, toward the speaker. "Of course. I have told you many times, Morwey, we can trust the Empress."

The man sighed. "Aye, Sir."

"Just as long as her men don't shoot us down before we get a chance to speak."

"Captain!"

Freedom snorted. "Don't hurt yourself, Morwey. I don't indulge in comedy often, but I would prefer that when I do, I don't give you a heart attack," he said dryly.

"Sir… What are we to call you when your guests arrive?"

The captain was silent for a moment. "Call me Captain. Or Sir, or Freedom. Call me anything you like but my true name."

"Aye, sir."

_-o-O-o-_

_He stumbled. Would the snow ever stop? Would the cold ever leave his veins? Would he wander forever, freezing, turning white, then blue, and then white again as he disappeared beneath the snow that wouldn't stop? He took another unsteady step forward, tightening his arms around himself even more and bending over even further. Then he saw it. Ice. Clear, shining ice. And in the ice, his reflection. He rasped out a humorless laugh as he saw himself. His lips were blue, his nose was red, his eyes were underlined by black bruises, and his hair was so covered in fluffy snow that it seemed white. And then he saw the skin of his chest that the Maestro had bared and scarred. He let out another raspy laugh that sounded far more like a sob._

_-o-O-o-_

"Well, Empress Sophia, we're here. So I'll ask you one last time: Is there nothing I can do to stop you from meeting with this man? What if he just wants to take your position? What if he plans to harm you?"

"Don't worry so much, Vince. If a man my people see as a hero has reason to kill me, I must be doing my job wrong."

"Ma'am, at least allow me to come with you!"

Sophia set her hand on Vincent's shoulder and squeezed softly. "I don't think that is a good idea. I will be taking Tatiana and Mr. Cassle aboard with me and not a man more. You are on the _Irbanus_, after all. Isn't that intimidating enough?"

Vincent sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "You're one stubborn woman, you know that, right?"

Sophia smiled. "Yes. Now be prepared for anything, but do not act without my orders unless _absolutely necessary_."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Empress Sophia's reception was more pleasant than Tatiana's, but the captain still had not come to meet them in the hangar. While Tatiana was terribly insulted on her leader's behalf, Sophia herself stood calm, reserving judgment. She knew there were many reasons a captain could be absent from such things.

The four crewmen that had greeted them led the Empress and her two escorts to a medium-sized room furnished with a long couch and a comfortable looking chair. Sophia was seated on the couch, and her guards stood behind her despite an offer to sit. The crewmen left with a short, "The captain with be with you momentarily."

Not many minutes had passed before they heard the door slide open. Sophia, a bit of annoyance having crept into her, took her time in facing the man. When she did, she withheld a gasp.

He was dressed in a loose, light gray uniform, the shirt unbuttoned further than would ever be acceptable on a military vessel. Black boots swallowed his pant legs almost up to his knee. His hair was still pulled back by a low tie, making his hair appear strait despite the wave near the bottom. His face was covered in a black mask from an inch below his hairline to the top of his upper lip. But her eyes just kept returning to the exposed skin at the base of his neck. Not because of the tops of strong muscle that the shirt couldn't quite hide, not because of the inappropriateness of the uniform, but because of what was imprinted in the skin. Twisting up from beneath his shirt were stems and leaves and flowers. To be exact, roses and thorns, black outlines that covered almost every inch of the skin her eyes had fixed on. They ended just beneath his chin, wrapping around to the back of his neck in a thick band, a flourishing rose drooping downward in the center, giving the appearance of a necklace or a collar.

He made an abrupt noise in his throat and her eyes snapped back to his face. Finally, she could fully appreciate how annoying it was that he would hide even his eyes from her. Something told her she wanted to see them. Something made her want to rip the mask off.

"Captain." Sophia got to her feet and raised an eyebrow. "At last we meet. I must say your letter had me curious."

"Oh?" His lips twitched up only slightly.

"My vanship pilot told me a thing or two about you. I'm rather disappointed that she was right."

"My apologies. I've always tried so hard not to disappoint."

That tone. That voice. _Why… _Sophia's eyebrows drew together. "Perhaps you can redeem yourself. By what name shall I call you?"

The smirk returned, just a small upturning of one side of his mouth. "The people call me Freedom."

"But that is not your name."

"My crew calls me Captain."

"Nice a title as it is, it is not a name, either." He was playing with her. If she wanted to get anywhere with this man, she would have to prove that she was just as capable of playing as he was.

"No, I suppose not." He took a step nearer to her. His smirk was gone and his expression was blank. "But you may call me by one of them, just the same. I give no special treatment for rank."

Every muscle in Sophia's body froze, as did Tatiana. Sophia opened and closed her mouth a few times, shocked by his attitude. It had been a while since anyone had treated her with such insubordination.

"You asked for a name, did you not? I gave you one. I apologize if it is not pleasing to you."

Sophia's lips pressed together and she knew then she would need every ounce of patience she had within her being. "I'm sorry. Of course if that is the name you prefer, I will not push you into another."

"Of course not."

Sophia took a step toward the captain, trying to balance out his intimidating move with one of her own. "You've given me a name," she said. "But I have no face to go with it. Why would you hide? Have I not so willingly complied with all of your requests?"

She saw his forehead move as if he had raised his eyebrows. "Is it your request to see my face, Your Majesty?"

"It is common courtesy."

"You will find, Empress, that I am neither common nor especially courteous."

"I think I've found the latter part already. But there's always time to change."

"I doubt I'll ever change. I tried it once and it didn't do me much good." Closer still he stepped, until they were only a couple feet away. "But if it is your wish to remove the mask…" He lowered his voice to a deep, quiet rumble. "… you'll have to wait until we know each other a little better."

Sophia released a slow breath she hadn't realized she'd sucked in. "Well… Perhaps we should talk ab…"

"Not now. You'll be staying on the _Saoirse _overnight. We will resume our talk in the morning."

Sophia floundered, indignant.

"Think of it as a sign of good faith," he said flatly.

"Do you know who you're speaking to?" she managed to get out.

"Yes. But you can't say the same, and that's why you're here."

The Empress pressed her lips into an even thinner line.

"I will alert the bridge that you will need to contact the _Irbanus_ to inform Captain Arthai of the change in plans."

"How do you-"

"It's not exactly a secret. And if it is… you have some very serious security problems."

Her back rigid and her eyes blazing, Sophia said, "I will stay for one night, Captain, but I must warn you: you have made a terrible impression and I am not one to be crossed so carelessly. So _watch your step_."

That insolent smile! "I'll show you to your rooms, then the command center so you can send your message." He met the eyes of all three of his unhappy "guests" and said, "Follow me."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Their rooms were lovely and the command center was functional as well as architecturally fascinating, but Sophia wasn't able to enjoy either of them. She grumpily informed Vincent of the changes in plan, and while she could tell he wanted to stage a rescue and blast the _Saoirse _out of the sky, he accepted her orders to sit peacefully until further notice.

After her quick talk with her number one captain, Sophia was told that dinner was waiting on her. The man called Freedom led her, Tatiana, and Mr. Cassle to the dining room personally and seated them at what she guessed was the Captain's table.

Dinner was a quiet affair, at least on Sophia's part. Though the captain didn't say much, either. In the end, however, it wasn't a waste of time. Sophia learned a few things, all of which gave her a little more hope that this meeting could turn out to be more than a disaster.

The first thing she noticed was the crew. They all seemed to be enjoying themselves; smiling, laughing, talking loudly but with great ease. This was not a hostile atmosphere, not somber or uptight. These men were glad to be where they were, and the presence of the captain did not frighten them. In fact, all the upper ranks sitting at the table with them included Freedom in their conversation, laughing, joking, causing that small, almost convincing smile to touch his lips as he swirled his drink around in his glass. Captain Freedom looked every inch the elegant pirate he was said to be.

"What do you think, Captain?"

Freedom smiled slightly, his mask shifting with the movement of his eyebrow again. "I think if he put as much effort into his duties as he does into picking up women, we'd all be better off." He paused, and Sophia was sure she saw a hint of true amusement. "Not to mention he'd have more luck with the ship."

The object of the captain's joke reddened slightly, but took the teasing in good humor, puffing out his chest and running a hand through his hair. "I don't know what you're talking about. The ladies love me."

The hands of his comrades rained down on him in mock violence and a few voices could be heard saying, "Shut it, O'Connor!"

The older man sitting next to Freedom leaned toward him and mumbled something Sophia couldn't hear.

The captain nodded once and got to his feet. "I have some business to attend to. If you'll excuse me, I trust you to find your way back to your rooms whenever you're ready." With that, he turned on his heel and walked from the room, feeling Sophia's angry gaze on his back with every step.

_-o-O-o-_

_He walked. And walked. And then finally, after so long of nothing but cold, he felt a single ray of warmth. And it filled him more than any sunny day he had ever experienced before._

_-o-O-o-_

"Excuse me… May I ask you a question, …?"

The crewman smiled openly at Sophia. "The name's Morwey. And certainly, Ma'am."

"Pleasure, Morwey. I was just wondering… Does the captain always hide his face?"

Morwey's smile remained, but his eyes became wary. "Of course not. I'd imagine it would be uncomfortable to sleep in."

"So you've never seen his face?"

"I didn't say that." The man leaned back in his seat.

"I was simply curious what he looks like."

"Many people are curious. Few ever get to learn the answers they desire."

Sophia gave a rueful smile. "You're loyal to him. I'm not going to get any answers from you that he doesn't want me to have."

Morwey smiled. "You catch on quickly, ma'am." He got to his feet and held out his hand. "Now, I must take my leave, Empress. I hope you have a pleasant night."

With a quick shake, he followed the same path the captain had taken.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"I think we should wait," the captain said, pacing back and forth across his small sitting room.

"Are you sure? Perhaps if you hadn't aggravated her so much… but now, do you really think she'll be willing to help us?"

"I don't know. But I need to be completely sure before I make a real enemy of the entire empire."

"Of course," said Morwey. "But if things don't go well, and we are forced to proceed in a less friendly fashion? Where should we head?"

"I'm hoping that won't be necessary," Freedom said with a sigh.

"If it is, Sir," Morwey said firmly.

The captain stopped pacing and pulled the mask from his face. "Safe point 7B2."

"Aye, Captain."

_-o-O-o-_

_Memories. Memories of the bubble and the voice that spoke to him mixed in with the reality of aching feet and painfully thawing limbs. "You must become free before you may become free of this," it had said. But he was Alex Rowe, captain of the Silvana, wanderer of the endless skies! What could be freer than that? And so his task was set. He needed to find his ship, or at the very least, any ship. Then he would be rid of the bonds that covered his very skin._

_-o-O-o-_

Sophia sunk into the plush chair in her room. Tatiana was pacing around, glancing at Sophia every couple rounds.

"Please, Tatiana, _please sit down._"

The young woman plopped onto the other chair. "'I can see how you would find him annoying, but I think he's amusing,' huh?"

"I know," Sophia sighed, her voice full of frustration as she rubbed her temples.

"If you don't mind me asking, why are we going along with this?"

"It's as he said: we want answers and he's the only one who can give us the right ones."

"I don't get the point of postponing things," Tatiana said bitterly.

"Neither do I. But he made it very clear that we can play his game or leave empty handed."

"Do you think he wants something?"

Sophia blinked in surprise. "What?"

"He doesn't exactly seem like the kind of person who would give us something for nothing."

_Why didn't I think of that?_ Sophia asked herself. But she knew why. She'd been too distracted by his personality- could that have been his plan? "Hm. I suppose we'll find out tomorrow. But that will be his only chance. I will not tolerate this game any longer than that."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"She's asking questions, you know."

"Not surprising. What did she want to know?"

"Strange choice, actually. I would have thought she'd ask about your intentions or what we've been up to recently."

Freedom took a swig of the alcohol he kept in his cabin. "What did she ask?"

"She wanted to know… if you ever took your mask off. She wanted to know what you look like."

The captain's uncovered face looked thoughtful. "Interesting."

"I told her she was lucky you kept yourself hidden, of course. I told her you were so ugly that the crew would mutiny if you ever showed your face."

The captain snorted. "Under normal circumstances you _would _have said that."

Morwey chuckled. "You're right…" He paused. "I made my position clear."

Freedom nodded. "Thank you."

_-o-O-o-_

_How long had it been since he'd seen another person? How long had he been wandering from the place he had landed? He couldn't say. The hours felt like days and the days felt like weeks and then the weeks would feel like moments as his mind blocked out the steps before the next one he was faced with taking. But finally, finally someone had found him. As the man approached, he collapsed. He didn't care if his finder was friend or foe. He would count it a rescue whether the stranger tried to help him or killed him on the spot._

_-o-O-o-_

"Captain?"

Sophia wasn't sure why she was surprised to see Freedom at her door at six o'clock in the morning. She wasn't sure why his mask was white and she wasn't sure why she didn't shut the door in his face just to spite him. But she hadn't expected him to come for them himself and she was, unfortunately, required to be diplomatic.

"Sophia… are you ready for our meeting?" His mask shifted with his eyebrow.

The Empress was filled with a sudden anger. "I refuse to say anything more to a man who won't even show me his face!" She crossed her arms, going silent as she wondered why she would say that.

The captain watched her with a frown, his eyes burning through the mask. Without saying a word, he reached toward her and wrapped his hand around her arm. He took her wrist gently as she unfolded her arms and drew it slowly to his face, setting her fingers against the edge of the mask. "Take it," he whispered.

Before she processed what she was doing, she had ripped the mask from his face.

"Alex?"

Before her stood Captain Alex Rowe, looking just as she had last seen him.

His eyebrows drew together.

"Alex?" She couldn't believe it.

His eyes flew wide open and he gasped in pain. "Why?"

"What? Alex, Captain, what's wrong?" She was panicking now.

"Why did you kill me?" Alex asked, and before her eyes his body began to fade.

"What? No! Alex, don't-!"

"I'm dead. I'm forgotten. You killed me."

Holes appeared on his face and body as if acid was eating through his image. She vaguely heard the white mask thud on the floor.

"Alex!"

Sophia sat up in her bed, her breath coming in short bursts and her body covered in beads of sweat. She heard the echo of the mask's thud as clearly as if it were real.

"I'll get it," called Tatiana.

_Oh… It was the door. _Sophia got to her feet and walked quickly to the main room to see who was there, her thoughts far from her appearance. She glanced at the clock. Six'o'two. She walked up behind Tatiana.

"Captain?"

-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-


	3. The Scarred Man

_Disclaimer: I do not own Last Exile._

The Man Called Freedom- The Scarred Man

_Was he glad to wake up in a soft bed with the smell of tea drifting over him? He wasn't sure. But there he was, covered in a mound of thick blankets and twisted roses that stuck to him relentlessly. One look at his bare arm had him sitting up and looking down at his other arm and his chest. Roses. Everywhere, roses. He grunted, reaching up to his shoulder and trying to grasp a bunch of leaves to pull them off. They didn't move and all he felt was skin beneath his fingers. He brushed at his chest; no movement from the flowers there, either. His actions ceased to be gentle. He must have been yelling, because out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone rush into the room, grabbing his scrabbling hands and pinning them to the bed. A second person rushed in and struggled to push his head to the pillow, the muscles of his neck straining against the restraint. They looked worried, and with the last look he got before his head slammed back, he saw blood. Blood on his chest and blood on his hands._

_-o-O-o-_

The black mask shifted. She had the distinct and uncomfortable feeling that he was examining her. The feeling only got worse when she realized why. Her nightdress had only thin straps on her shoulders and ended a couple inches below her knee. And it had lace trim. And it was pink. And covered in flowers. Unlike her.

Finally, through her horror, she heard him clear his throat.

"Get dressed. I'll wait out here until you are ready."

Sophia gathered what remained of her dignity and gave a firm nod before walking stiff-backed away from the door and into her room. She heard Tatiana say something she couldn't make out before the main door slid shut.

"Sophia!" Tatiana called.

The Empress only stopped because of the oddity of her companion using her given name without at least adding 'ma'am' to the end. "Yes?" She turned to meet the younger woman's eyes.

Tatiana looked concerned. "Are you alright?"

Sophia forced a smile. "Of course. A little embarrassment never killed anyone."

Tatiana shifted. "That's not what I meant."

Sophia was confused. "Then what…?" Then it came back to her.

"You were yelling in your sleep."

She didn't have to ask what she had said. She already knew. "Oh. I'm sorry if I woke you."

"It's fine. I just… Are you sure you're alright?"

Sophia nodded.

"Commander Arthai spoke to me… You do _know_ he's gone, right?"

Another nod.

"And you know that it wasn't your fault, right? You _know_ you didn't kill him."

"But I did," Sophia whispered.

"No," Tatiana said firmly. "You didn't. He knows it, I know it, everyone else knows it. It's time for you to start believing it."

Sophia sighed. "Thank you, Tatiana. I'd better get ready. We don't want to keep the captain waiting."

Tatiana smirked slightly. "We don't?"

Sophia chuckled softly and went into her room, the door clicking behind her.

_-o-O-o-_

_His mouth felt dry and his throat burned when he swallowed. He opened his eyes cautiously. How long had he been asleep? He lifted his head up enough to look down at himself. No roses. Just a bandage. His fuzzy mind registered that as odd, but he vaguely remembered something clawing at his skin. He let his head fall back and after a few long minutes, his mind began to clear bit by bit. Oh, right. He'd done it himself._

_-o-O-o-_

Sophia walked silently beside the captain… That is, until she realized where they were headed. She looked up at Freedom and the corner of his mouth twitched up in a tiny smile.

"Aren't you hungry?" he asked.

"Well, a little, but…"

Freedom stopped and turned to face her, folding his arms across his chest.

Sophia stopped as well, her face showing confusion. She snuck a glance at Tatiana, but the other woman didn't seem to know any more than she did.

"I am…" the captain started, "… I am not used to politics. Or rather, I try to avoid them. So…" His deep voice trailed off. "Be patient with me."

Once more, Sophia felt a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, she could work something out with Freedom.

_-o-O-o-_

_He faded in and out of sleep. At last, he heard voices around him. People murmured his name in question and confirmation. So they knew who he was. He vaguely wondered if that should worry him. He decided no, on the grounds of not caring. He opened his eyes and the room went silent. As his vision cleared, his eyes darted from face to face. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He frowned. They were asking him something. His name? But they already knew his name. He would only be confirming it. What fate would await him then?_

_-o-O-o-_

That hope lasted all throughout breakfast and through the quiet walk to the conference room. It still hadn't deserted her as she took a seat next to Tatiana and as the captain stood at the head of a long table.

Then Freedom opened his mouth.

The hope shattered.

"I've asked you here because of your relationship with the late Alex Rowe and his ship the _Silvana_."

Sophia's face drained of all color and emotion. "Excuse me?" she asked flatly.

"It is my intention to find that ship." He locked his gaze onto hers. "And you know where it is."

"Is that what this whole thing was about? Aiding us, cloaking yourself in mystery, _demanding_ I come to this… this _detestable_ place; it was all to get your hands on a better toy?" Her voice was rising higher than it should have been, but she didn't care. "And then I get here and you treat me like… Well, captain, you've done a great job… a great job of insulting the one person you need as a friend." She got to her feet and heard Tatiana scramble up as well, most likely surprised and confused. "I can assure you, sir, that I will not help you find the _Silvana_ and you shall never find it on your own. Now, I will go back to my ship, captain. I will have no further dealings with you and you will from this moment be considered a pirate in the eyes of the empire." She stared back at the masked man, waiting for him to make a move. To her surprise, and anger, he sat down.

"Despite your feelings on the matter," he said smoothly, "I rather like this place. Any idea why?"

Sophia remained silent, gritting her teeth.

The captain's eyes shifted to her left, toward Tatiana.

"It's both a strategic wonderland and nightmare depending on your position, planning, and skill. If you take the time and play it right, you can use the poor visibility and jagged cliffs all to your advantage."

Freedom nodded.

"And if I'm not mistaken, you've been here for quite a while with unlimited access and time to strategize all you wish."

Freedom smiled.

Sophia's eyes widened. _Oh no._

_-o-O-o-_

_So they knew now. One of the men had tipped water into his mouth. It helped clear his throat, but he still coughed a few times before he was able to answer their questions. His name? Alex Rowe. They seemed surprised despite the fact that they had known for some time. His name had become rather infamous, so he supposed it was only natural. They talked amongst themselves for a while, and Alex was becoming more and more annoyed with both the men and himself. It was bad enough that they were talking about him as if he wasn't there, but his mind also had to be so uncooperative that he couldn't concentrate enough to make out more than a couple words here and there._

_Disith, one said. Was that where he was? He thought it more than possible but he couldn't think of what made him so sure. _

_The Empress mentioned another man. Empress? If he was in Disith, these men were so far out of the loop, they might as well be at the Farthest Mark of the universe. There was no Empress, but an Emperor. Unless…_


	4. The Dangerous Man

_Disclaimer: I do not own Last Exile._

The Man Called Freedom- The Dangerous Man

_Something was bothering him. The Empress... the words caused a memory to stir, but he couldn't quite place it... He shut his eyes in frustration, letting go of the trail he was trying to make to lead him to an answer. It would come to him eventually. He turned his head until his cheek was pressed into the pillow and he saw a small stand next to the bed. On it was the glass of water that was now half empty. He judged the distance. He would have to stretch to reach it without twisting too much. The bandages wrapped around all of the skin he could see, with the exeption of his hands, warned him of pain if he were to push himself. He supposed they had moved it so far to get him into the bed in the first place or perhaps to discourage what he was about to do. Scooting slowly toward the edge of the bed, he stretched his arm out across the gap. Farther, just a bit farther. Impatiently, he jerked his body closer to the edge for the final grab... and felt his body hit the wooden floor with a dull "thud." He sucked in his breath and took a few seconds to collect himself and let the stinging of his arms and chest fade a little before moving again. He somehow managed to pull himself back into the bed using mostly his arms. He wondered at the pain in his joints and the weakness of his legs, the glass of water completely forgotten. He breathed heavily, exhausted from his quick journey from bed to floor and back again. Just before he fell asleep again, he saw something red blooming on the bandages. His last fuzzy thought was that perhaps the roses were finally coming off._

_-o-O-o-_

"I knew there was a possibility you would be unwilling to aid me in this. So I made other plans in case of this exact circumstance. It's a shame, really, but you see… this isn't about a 'better toy' as you say." Freedom got to his feet. "I _must_ find the _Silvana._" He walked to the door and pressed a small button. There was a buzzing sound and two uniformed officers, no, pirates, entered the room.

Sophia sat in shock for only a moment longer. Then she got stiffly to her feet. "What is it you plan to do? Where will you go? I will give you one last chance, Captain, to walk away. I will leave this ship and return to my duties and you will be free to go about your business without having to look over your shoulder at every turn. You don't strike me as the kind of man who would appreciate those kind of chains."

Tatiana was also standing, glaring at the soldiers and berating herself for allowing them to take her weapon. No matter her personal opinion of the _Saoirse_'s captain, she hadn't expected this. It was simple idiocy.

"My apologies, Empress Sophia, but you are not leaving this ship until the _Silvana _is within my reach."

_-o-O-o-_

_The answer to the question of the Empress came to him in his dreams. And when he woke up, he wondered how he could have forgotten. Sophia. She was Empress now, as she should be. As he blinked himself awake, he became aware of two things: stinging pain and the sound of someone humming as she leaned over him._

"_Ah! You're awake!" she said cheerily with a thick accent. "Looks like those drugs are finally startin' ta wear off, too. Your eyes are a beet clearer."_

_Alex's eyebrows drew together. She was an older woman with once-red hair that was mostly gray now. _Drugs? _he wondered. But of course. That would explain how hard it was to think._

"_You're still a wee beet slow, though, aren't'cha?" The woman laughed. "But for all I know, that could be normal for ye," she said with a wink._

_Alex was vaguely insulted, but he just stared blankly at her. Finally, his eyes drifted down to her hands to see that the bandages were gone and she was gently pressing a wet cloth to his chest. That would account for the stinging._

_The woman followed his gaze. "Yeah, ye did a right number on yourself last night, now, didn't'cha? And there ye were, almost healed! You've been makin' my job a good deal harder since ye got here, ye know." Her face became scolding. "I don't appreciate it none, either! 'Specially when those milit'ry men are breathin' down my back."_

_Alex looked back at her face, eyes going dull at the last words._

_The woman looked curious now, the half-hearted anger left behind. "Ye must be a beet important to have them so worked up. Don't worry. They don't know who ye are. But what they'd want with Alex Rowe I just can't think." By the end, her eyes were soft._

"_They know my name," he said, his deep voice coming out in a rasp._

_She looked confused for a moment. "They know… Oh! No, lad, they weren't the milit'ry. Those were my sons! A couple grandkids, too. Didn't trust the half-dead stranger with the poor defenseless healer!" She chuckled. "They'll be tryin' ta frighten ye, but don't'cha worry about it. They're good kids."_

_Alex blinked, looking back at his chest. He saw the blood that seeped out over the black lines of the roses that covered him. The woman saw a flash of fear in his eyes just before he closed them. _

"_Now don't'cha go tearin' yourself up again, ye hear?" she said softly. "I'll heal self-inflicted wounds once, but after that you're on your own. Ye won't be makin' the same mistakes twice 'round here. I don't care how much you regret gettin' that ink of yours!"_

_Alex looked at her, and she seemed taken aback when she met his gaze. "It's not a tattoo," he said, his eyes dead serious. "They're just flowers. I'll wash them off later."_

_The woman looked wary now. "If ye say so. But I'll be havin' someone with ye at all times, now, jus'ta make sure ye have everythin' ye need."_

_Alex closed his eyes. He knew that wasn't why she was going to assign him a guard. She was worried he'd do something to reopen the wounds again. Or perhaps worse… He didn't have time to wonder what else she thought of him before he fell asleep._

_-o-O-o-_

"We can still do this peacefully, Sophia. You may contact the _Irbanus _and tell the Captain that you are helping me and will return when that task is done only under a strict cease-fire order, or you may brace yourself for evasive maneuvers and a quick departure."

Sophia clenched her teeth. "You are making this very difficult for both of us, Captain," she said with the last bit of patience she could muster. "I'm afraid if you let me contact my ship at this point, I will have to report your behavior and tell Vincent to respond as if this were a kidnapping."

"I see." Freedom motioned for the guards to completely enter the room. "Please excuse me. I assure you that you will be treated with the utmost respect for the remainder of your stay."

Sophia's mouth twisted into a snarl. "I doubt that."

Tatiana looked ready to start a fight with the guards, but Sophia held up a halting hand.

Freedom smiled slightly and his soft voice sounded one more time before he left the room. "You have more spirit than I expected."

_-o-O-o-_

_The next time Alex woke, his mind was clear. He also noticed that he was not alone. His eyes sought out the small, wide-eyed boy in the dim room. He couldn't be over ten years old._

_They stared at each other for a moment and then suddenly the boy jumped to his feet and scurried from the room. Moments later he heard a shout and a whack. "I told ye not to leave that room!" shouted his caretaker. He heard footsteps and watched the woman burst into the room. Alex's eyes were filled with apparent disinterest._

"_Well? How ye feelin'? Got the ol' gears turnin' again?"_

_Alex raised an eyebrow. "Where am I?"_

_The woman sighed and took a seat in the chair next to the bed he was in. "I s'pose that answers that."_

_Alex gave her the stare he used on his crew when he wanted an answer._

_The woman laughed. "I'd say that look's a good deal why you're such an infamous captain, tho ye'll have a hard time workin' it on me. But I'll tell ye anyway. You're way out in the country of Disith. And when I say country, I mean waaay, way out. More specifically, you're in my home."_

_Alex nodded. "And who are you?"_

"_My name's Charlene, but I s'pose ye could call me Mama Char. Most folks do." _

_Alex glanced down at himself and began to shift as if to sit up. Mama Char put a hand on his shoulder, her cheerful face turned stern. "Don't sit up just yet. At least not without any help."_

_Alex blinked slowly. Finally, he said, "Do you mind?"_

_Charlene reluctantly helped him sit up. "Be careful, now. I don't want ye hurtin' yourself again."_

_Alex leaned his head against the wall behind him, taking deep, slow breaths. "Ms. Charlene…" he started. "… I heard someone…" He coughed. "… talking about the Empress."_

"_Yah, what of it?" Char asked, taking a fresh glass of water from the stand and handing it to him._

_Alex took a sip. "Do you know… Is she well?"_

_The woman shrugged. "I s'pose. I can't say for sure, though. I'm not really up there with foreign royalty, am I? But I s'pose we're not supposed to call your people foreigners anymore, are we?"_

_Alex only paid attention to part of what she said, and Char noticed._

"_Hey, lad… when ye asked if the Empress was well, did ye mean to ask if she was alive?"_

_Alex looked back up at her and nodded once._

"_You're not some sort of assassin, now, are ye?"_

"_No."_

_-o-O-o-_

"The Empress declined to help us. We'll remain silent for now. Our greatest chance of getting out of here without shots fired is slipping away and getting on the move before the _Irbanus _even realizes we're gone."

"Surely they're keeping an eye on us," said Morwey.

"They would if they could. At this time of year, the fog is so thick here that there is almost no visibility."

Morwey's mouth dropped open. "That's why-! You had this planned all along. You knew she wouldn't help you."

"The _Silvana _is too important to her. The map I made of the Dragon's Fangs will get us through this area, but it will be extremely slow going." Freedom crossed his arms and sat in the captain's chair.

Morwey shook his head, still unbelieving. "That won't matter, Sir. _We _won't crash. Pursuit will be nearly impossible for quite some time."

"Precisely."

Morwey laughed at his captain's small grin.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Sophia wasn't sure if she was surprised or not that she and Tatiana were escorted back to her room rather than the brig. Mr. Cassle was pacing the main room, looking angry and confused.

"What's going on?" he asked as the door slipped shut behind the two women.

"I was unable to agree on acceptable terms with the captain when he presented me with a request."

"Some request," Tatiana growled.

"Don't worry about it too much. Vince has his orders on what to do in this sort of situation. When we don't show up, he'll contact the captain and get us out of here," Sophia said.

Of course, she didn't know about the map.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The _Soairse _inched along with stunning slowness, but Freedom remained patient. If they were still moving and all was silent, then all was well.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Are we moving?"

Tatiana got to her feet and walked to the window. All she could see was white. "The fog's too thick to say for sure. If we're moving, we're moving too slowly to make much of an escape."

Sophia nodded pensively. "Yes… but something feels strange."

_-o-O-o-_

"_Ye don't say much, do ye?"_

"_When it's necessary." He folded his hands in his lap, managing to look authoritative despite his condition. "You've said you are a healer. I take it that is a doctor to this area?"_

_Char nodded, almost laughing at the formal way he held himself._

"_Could you please fill me in on my…" He looked down at his bandages. "… injuries?"_

"_Hm. Well, when my boys found ye out in the snow, ye were quite near frozen. Aside from that, ye only had a few bruises and scrapes. I will admit it was a beet strange. We've never seen anyone wandering about in this weather dressed as ye were. And that ink of yours… never seen anythin' like it!"_

_Alex was quiet for a while. He could feel her curiosity. _

"_Alright, I won't press ye, lad. We brought ye in and tried to warm ye up. It was no easy task, let me tell ye. Ye came in and out of it a few times, but it wasn't til a week passed before ye really stirred. Then ye started wakin' up more often, only for a couple minutes at a time. One time ye spotted that fancy artwork of yours and started clawin' at yourself like your life depended on it." She paused long enough to give him a look of disapproval. "'Nother week passed before ye woke up enough to give us your name. Then ye pulled your little acrobatic stunt and managed to reopen your cuts." More disapproval. _

"_How long will this take to heal?" Alex asked._

"_They're not too bad anymore, but it'll still take some time. Anywhere between a week or two and ye should be out of danger of doin' any more damage to the same wounds."_

_Alex ran a hand through his tangled hair. He thought he must look terrible._

"_How would ye like a nice, hot bath, lad?"_

"_Are you sure?"_

_Char poked the bandages on his abdomen and said, "I need to change these bandages anyway. And I think the hot water will do ye good." She grinned, her face wrinkling with the expression. "Not to mention the smell is startin' to get to me!"_

_-o-O-o-_

The captain of the _Saoirse _could not say he enjoyed moving at the slow rate. In fact, it made him feel a bit restless. But it was necessary. He had spent more than a few weeks- closer to two months- sending vanships out to map the treacherous terrain during the season of least fog. It was slow and difficult, but it was paying off. The _Irbanus _couldn't see them and even if it could catch a glimpse, they would appear stationary.

"Her captain must have orders in the case of lost contact. And I doubt they're pleasant."

Freedom looked over at his first officer and said, "By the time it is necessary, it will be too late. They will take too long sending out feelers."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"I'm sure I felt something. We're definitely moving," Tatiana said, a hint of worry in her voice.

"It's making me nauseous," Sophia said softly.

"Er… The captain did bring… _it _on this trip, didn't he, ma'am?" asked their male escort.

Sophia gave a firm nod and her lips tilted up in a humorless smile. "Yes. Vince will have a disadvantage by the time he fires it up, but Mr. Freedom will get a shock, and perhaps that will be enough…"

"I want to see his face. I imagine he'll look quite sick," said Tatiana as she turned her back on the window.

Sophia gave a sigh. The captain wasn't completely void of intelligence. If he was willing to move his ship in the Dragon's Fangs while there were yet other options, he had to have something up his sleeve.

_-o-O-o-O-o-O-o_


	5. The Flying Man

_Disclaimer: I do not own Last Exile._

The Man Called Freedom- The Flying Man

_Alex lowered himself very slowly into the steaming tub. He sucked in his breath and held it as the hot water made contact with the still healing cuts and sent shocks of pain across his skin. He was aware of someone standing just outside the door, listening for any odd sounds. Finally, he sunk down to where the water was halfway up his chest and he leaned his head over the rim behind him, breathing a few carefully controlled breaths before allowing his muscles to relax. The stinging hadn't stopped, but he was becoming used to it. Soon he would hardly notice. He sighed and pushed his wavy black hair out of his face, letting his eyes close. Making a quick decision, he took a sharp breath and let his head slip beneath the water. He held his breath and kept his eyes closed, feeling his hair brush against his face. Images flashed behind his eyes. _

_-o-O-o-_

"Captain, still no contact from the Empress."

Vincent let out a sigh, his hand going to his chin as he tried to decide what to do. If the Empress was simply a few minutes late, any action on his part could cause irreparable damage. On the other hand, if Sophia was in danger, he was wasting precious time. There was an easy way to remedy that.

"Make contact."

There were a few moments of quiet before the crewman's voice sounded again. "There is no…" He stopped. "Contact made with the bridge. The captain of the _Saoirse _is in conference with the Empress. First Officer Morwey says they will not be disturbed."

"Tell him it is against our terms to go this long without contact and kindly request she be notified."

"_Saoirse _responds 'Of course,' Sir. She will be brought to the bridge."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Freedom listened to the conversation and waited for Morwey to silence their connection. "Good, Morwey. That will buy us more time. Next time they call, don't respond. I want all the focus on getting out of here."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The captain of the _Irbanus _frowned, his face turning harsh. "They've had long enough. Make last contact and if the Empress isn't there to give confirmation of her safety, we'll have to use it."

_-o-O-o-_

_He didn't let his nose rise above the water until he couldn't hold his breath anymore. All was just as quiet as it had been just moments before_. Some guard. For all he knows, I could be dead by now._ Alex was silent, breathing through his nose and keeping his mouth submerged. After what felt like hours but could only have been minutes, Alex sat up farther and grabbed the soap that had been set close enough for him to reach without stretching. _

_"We all know what happens when you're left to your own devices now, don't we," Char had said._

_By the end, the bath was no longer relaxing. He was just rinsing out his hair when he decided he had had enough of the irritating stings for the time being. Yes, he had suffered far worse, but that didn't mean he had to enjoy the scratches. _

_Ignoring Mama Char's orders, Alex pulled himself to his feet and stepped shakily out of the tub, dressing skittishly, leaving his shirt off until he could have the bandages replaced. He wobbled to the door, gripping the wall as he went, and pulled it open, watching in disguised humor as something toppled to the floor in front of him. The boy looked up at him and opened his mouth to say something when a different voice broke the silence. _

_"Alex Rowe! What did I tell ye? I said ta call for 'elp when ye were done! Ye should not be walkin' around on ye're own!"_

_Alex smirked slightly at how her accent thickened as she yelled at him._

_"What're ye smilin' about, huh? See if I bother givin' ye your pain reliever tonigh'. 'T'appears ye don't need it!"_

_"I'm fine," Alex said, face blank once more. "But unless you want me to bleed on your fine floors..." He gestured at the red claw marks._

_"That's a beet overdramatic, I think." But she went to fetch the clean bandages anyway._

_-o-O-o-_

"No response, Captain."

Vincent's eyes narrowed. "Something's gone wrong. Can you see the _Saoirse_?"

"No, Sir, not at all."

Vincent uttered a curse under his breath. "Prepare the machine. Move quickly; I will not let anything happen to her again."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"We're moving faster."

"There must be a brief space where they can maneuver… or they're getting nervous."

"I hate not knowing what's going on," Tatiana grumbled. She walked toward the door and slammed her fist against the button that should have opened it.

The door slid open. Eyes wide, Tatiana hit the button again, closing the door and hoping the guards that were outside hadn't noticed the soft hiss it made. "It's unlocked," she said quietly, turning to look at Sophia.

Sophia's eyebrows pulled together in confusion. "Is there anyone out there?"

"Two guards."

"We can overcome them," said Cassle.

Sophia shook her head. "I'm going… I am going to try something. You two stay here and _stay put_."

_-o-O-o-_

_As she rewrapped his upper body, she laughed. "Looks like a poor furry one died on your head, lad. Will ye let me comb your hair for ye?"_

_Alex considered the woman carefully, then shrugged. "If you wish."_

_Alex was already sitting up on the small bed he had spent over two weeks in, and Mama Char sat on a stool behind him. She needed it to reach his head. _

_"Have ye always had your hair this long? It's so pretty!"_

_Alex smiled slightly. "I don't think that's a term a man envies having bestowed upon him."_

_"Oh, don't be so immature. A real man knows not to be insulted by compliments! 'Specially ones from an old woman."_

_The gentle, methodic stroke of the comb through his hair would catch every now and then, but over all it wasn't bad. "Ms. Charlene... May I ask you something more?"_

_"Of course. I'll even try to give ye an answer!"_

_"What are the 'military men' asking about me?"_

_"Oh, they just want to know who wandered in. They like to keep an eye on things like that. But I s'pose so soon after that dreadful battle, anyone would be cautious."_

_Alex turned his head slightly. "You weren't."_

_-o-O-o-_

"Is it ready?"

"Almost, Sir." The _Irbanus_ crewman seemed a bit nervous. "This is a very new design…"

"Never been used," said the captain.

"But surely tested… in a battle scenario…"

Vincent raised an eyebrow. "Certainly not." The thought wasn't comforting, but he understood the reasoning. "The power draw is too high. That's why we must move swiftly. We only have one chance." He saw the other man looking about ready to protest. "I wouldn't resort to it if the Empress hadn't given very _exact _orders that this is what was to happen should this situation arrive."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Sophia took a deep breath and stood tall as she followed the guard to the command deck. She'd demanded to see the captain with little hope of success, but to her immense surprise, the guard had agreed. "The captain wishes me to grant your requests," he had said. She had started to tell him to let them go back to their ship. He'd tacked on "within reason" to the end of his statement.

So now Tatiana was fuming at being left behind while Sophia tried to sort out what she was going to do once she reached the bridge, nervous and alone. She wasn't usually this daunted by threats. She was usually more poised than this. But there was something about Freedom that unbalanced her, threw her off. Something unpredictable that made her unsure of her actions.

A door slid open before her.

"I wondered when I'd be seeing you," Freedom said without an ounce of surprise.

Sophia just stood there for a moment, looking around. It was… so like the _Silvana_.

"Well, don't just stand there. Get in."

_-o-O-o-_

_Alex took another step. _

_"Good! Good, lad! I think you'll be just fine."_

_"Regaining my balance will not be the hard part."_

_Mama Char huffed. "Honestly, lad. We're having such a good time, and then ye go and say somethin' so... so... like that."_

_Alex shrugged, laying a hand on the old woman's just long enough for her to let go of his arm. _

_"Ye be careful, now." Alex could hear the worry in her voice. "You've only been up and about for a couple days. Ye shouldn't push yourself."_

_Alex looked at her blandly. "I won't push myself too hard. But I must regain my strength."_

_"Ye got somethin' to do, lad?"_

_Alex looked ahead and took another step, smiling slightly as he took yet another. When he turned his head again, Charlene couldn't tell if it was a happy smile or a bitter one. "I do."_

_-o-O-o-_

Freedom sat in his seat, casual and apparently uninterested as always. But now there was no denying that the ship was moving.

"What do you hope to accomplish by moving at this pace? Do you have a death wish?" Sophia put as much disapproval into her voice as she could.

Freedom just smiled, his lips the only feature she could see with the mask. "As long as you're here, they won't fire."

"You're being rather arrogant, aren't you?"

Freedom glanced at her for a brief moment. "Any reason I shouldn't be?"

Sophia's eyes narrowed and her lips pressed together. Let him be smug. Let him be smug until the moment it was too late.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The sound of motors was almost deafening for precisely ten seconds. Even the _Saoirse _could hear a strange hum, and they were a considerable distance from the _Irbanus. _

Immediately after, the roaring was replaced by the sound of a twenty-times amplified fan. Then there was a large boom, as if an enormous drum had been beaten just once, and the roar slowly began to build again, mercifully reaching only half its previous volume.

Sophia saw Freedom straighten just a hint at the boom. She saw the intensity of his alertness heighten. He turned to her and she felt more than saw the cockiness leave his eyes, only to be replaced by authority.

"What was that?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Sophia said defiantly.

Freedom got to his feet. "Do we have a visual of the _Irbanus_?"

"Yes, Sir. Well… sort of. You have to look at this."

The sight that met the captain's eyes was likely the one thing that would have surprised him. He couldn't see the _Irbanus _itself, but what he did see made the first hint of uncertainty enter his eyes. The fog was _moving. _Not simply drifting naturally, but swirling rapidly, moving from a specific spot as if it was being blown away. Or sucked in.

He shoved himself back and spun to stalk toward Sophia. He stopped before her, silent and composed. But she had seen the flash of surprise and she smiled at the concern the new development gave him.

"What is that?" he asked.

"Just think of it as a massive, manmade vacuum."

His eyes narrowed and then widened as the realization came home. In a whirl of gray fabric he was gone from where he had stopped in front of Sophia. It seemed as if she blinked and he was barking orders somewhere else.

"Move aside. Prepare for a rough ride. I need navigation to direct me. I'm taking us out of here."

_-o-O-o-_

_Alex sat in a large, fluffy chair in the main room of Mama Char's house. The cuts had healed, his legs had regained most of their strength, and he was beginning to make plans on how to find Sophia and figure out what had happened to his ship. But still he could not remember everything that had happened after strangling Delphine. He ran a hand through his hair in his frustration and was somewhat surprised by how long it took for his fingers to reach the ends. _My hair must've grown. I wonder...

_Alex suddenly rose to his feet and looked around the room. A young boy, Seamus, glanced up from his book for a moment. He regarded Alex carefully and then dismissed him, returning to his reading. _

_The dark-haired man padded across the floor, the wood rough against his bare feet. He poked around in a few places and then returned to the boy, staring down at him and waiting for him to take notice._

_Without looking up, Seamus said, "What?"_

_"Do you have a mirror?"_

_"What do ye need a meer for?"_

_"I'd think that was obvious."_

_"Yeh, well, we do 'ave a couple."_

_Alex blinked. Seamus enjoyed making conversations last far longer than they had to. "And where might I find one?"_

_The boy shrugged. "Ye don't. Gran'mum hid 'em so ye couldn't find 'em."_

_Alex's eyebrows drew together. "Why?"_

_"I think she's afraid you'd 'urt yourself again. Ye are rather strange, aren'tcha?" He turned the page._

_"I will do no such thing." He smiled slightly. "But you know where a mirror is, right?"_

_Seamus looked up and immediately wished he hadn't. The smirk on Alex's face warned that he was about to get his way. "I told ye, she hid 'em!"_

_"From me. But surely not from you. Where is it? I'm not going to do anything stupid. I just want to see if I need to cut my hair."_

_"That's it?"_

_"Nothing more."_

_"Well... I s'pose then... it would be alright... I'll go get one."_

_-o-O-o-_

Freedom flew like no one else. He flew like he had nothing to lose and nothing to question. It seemed he moved before the navigator could even finish his direction. The _Saoirse _was a reasonably sized ship, but it was obvious that sacrifices had been made to make the ship faster and easily hidden instead of large and armored. And now it was paying off. It was faster than the _Irbanus_, and undeniably better suited for the terrain of the Dragon's Fangs. Almost as if the ship had been made with this moment in mind.

Instinct. That was what it came down to. Freedom was born to fly. As Alex Rowe had been. Sophia clenched her teeth at the thought that the two men might have anything in common. But then, as she felt the determination radiating from him, it would be an insult to her ex-captain to claim they didn't. At least for the moment.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

It took longer than Vincent would readily admit to figure out what was happening. The machine was working as it was supposed to, but the captain who called himself Freedom had recovered too quickly. Unless he'd already been moving.

That had to be it. He must have been moving, slowly, and then increased his speed when he saw the _Irbanus _giving chase. But that was absolute idiocy! The Dragon's Fangs were treacherous to even the best of pilots. It was too unpredictable, too obscured by fog. Fog that they were now drawing to themselves and past the _Saoirse. If we can't catch them in the vacuum... _It would take time for it to become strong enough; time they had lost to Freedom's trick.

The logical side of him told him to pull back. But Sophia was on that ship and if it kept turning and dodging forward the way it was, she would never make it.

"Get in as close to that ship as possible. We need to stay close- it seems to be avoiding damage at the moment and I don't want to risk hitting something and going down."

"Yes, Sir!"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Sophia saw the _Irbanus _beginning pursuit. _What are you thinking, Vincent? _When the ship showed no sign of stopping, panic crept into Sophia's mind. The ship simply couldn't maintain power with both the machine and the extra surge of speed long enough to do any good. He would be stranded out there, powerless, waiting for the standard week to pass before someone was sent out to help them.

"Captain!" she called, moving forward only to be restrained by a member of the crew. "Freedom! Let me contact my ship."

She thought she saw his head turn slightly for the blink of an eye. "Why?"

"I need to call my men off."

"Why should I believe you?" His words were clipped, and she knew very little of his attention was actually on her.

"What do you have to lose? He's already chasing you. With contact from me, he either stops, or he doesn't and nothing changes."

There were a few moments of silence. "Let her make contact."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Sophia!"

"Stop chasing them, Captain."

"What?"

"Stop chasing them! You'll only get yourself killed!"

"What are you talking about? If anyone's going to get killed in this situation, it's you, if I don't stop him."

"You won't stop him. He has a map."

Vincent was sure he heard a foul word in the background. "A map?"

"Yes, now stop chasing me, turn the machine off, and get to a refueling station. It shouldn't be too hard to…"

She was cut off. "Sophia!"

"Captain," said the CO. It was beginning to get unusually warm on the bridge.

"You heard the Empress. Shut it off. Stop pursuit." He looked furious. "That captain has just made an enemy of the entire Empire. He _will _regret it."

_-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-_


	6. The Desperate Man

_Disclaimer: I do not own Last Exile._

The Man Called Freedom: The Desperate Man

_His hair was long, yes. And on the Silvana he would have cut it immediately. But now... he would leave it for now. But the stubble... that would have to go. He held the small reflective surface out before him and cautiously reached for his collar._

_"What are ye doin'?"_

_Alex undid the top two buttons of his shirt and spread the fabric apart so he could see the skin of his neck. He stared._

_It was like a collar, the thorns and the vines twisting around his neck in a thick band. A single blooming rose hung from the center, flat and black and permanent. He suddenly heard his ragged breathing, feeling the vines tightening around his neck even though he could clearly see that they weren't moving. He gasped for breath, his hand squeezing the glass until Seamus ripped it from his grip. _

_The image of himself gone, Alex blinked his wide eyes and touched his neck, listening as his breathing calmed and his head cleared. Finally, he looked up at Seamus, realizing he was on his knees. "Ms. Charlene does not need to know about this." he said, his voice ragged. _

_Seamus looked at him with eyes larger than saucers. He shook his head. "Aye."_

_-o-O-o-_

Freedom didn't slow down until the _Irbanus _was completely out of sight. It was only then that Sophia felt she could breathe again and ask the question she didn't want to ask, but needed an answer to.

"Is this really all for the _Silvana_?"

"Yes."

"What use do you have for an old ship with battle scars? You have the _Saoirse_!" she exclaimed.

Without any sign that he had even thought about answering her, he said, "Get her out of here. I can't concentrate."

Sophia's mouth dropped open in her anger as she glared at the long bundle of hair tied at his neck. "You won't survive this."

"Out!" he shouted, and Sophia was pulled from the room.

Sophia could only console herself with the fact that she had at least gotten a response.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"What now, Sir?"

Commander Vincent Arthai stood with his arms crossed as they made their way to the nearest refueling station. There was no mistaking the anger in his stance. "I just can't seem to keep her where she belongs!"

"Captain…"

Vincent rubbed his temples and let out a sigh. "We'll have to begin the process of finding them all over again. It could take… unless…"

"You have an idea to speed it up?"

"Just a vanship pilot and a couple navis who would help the Empress in a heartbeat."

_-o-O-o-_

_The snowy breeze blew against his face as he stared unseeing across the frozen landscape. He felt a shudder run through his body, but he didn't move. He sat in the snow a couple yards from the house, his hair and clothing already damp. _

What happened?_ he wondered. He looked down at his hand and tugged the sleeve back, revealing the twisting ends of rose vines reaching out from his arm, ending just above his wrist._

Why can't I... remember?_ He growled in frustration and slammed a fist into the snow. When he inspected the red mark on the side of his hand, his mind slipped away, ignoring the pain. _

_"Only when you are free can you be free of this."_

_Alex looked around him, his eyes searching. _

_"You forge your own chains. Find the key to the lock. Find what the chains are keeping you from."_

_Riddles. Alex shook his head slightly. As if the riddles of Exile weren't bad- Exile! _

_He was falling- no, floating. Roses beneath him. Words echoing around him. "Only when you are free can you be free of this."_

_-o-O-o-_

Freedom threw off his cloak and ripped the tie out of his hair as he entered his quarters. The black strands fell around his face and he dropped onto his sofa, throwing his feet up onto the table. With one hand, he threw open the lid to a compartment in the small table next to his seat and pulled out a crystal bottle and a small, clear glass. He pulled the top off of the bottle and tossed it on the cushion next to him, immediately filling the cup just over halfway. He set the bottle in a groove to keep it still and raised the glass to his lips, tilting his head back and swallowing, feeling the rush of the alcohol surging down his throat. It wasn't until he had swallowed the second glass that he remembered to pull the mask off his face. He had gotten so used to it that he almost forgot it was there.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Captain?"

Freedom let out a sound that came from his throat and had no real meaning.

Morwey walked farther into the room until he could see Freedom. The man had looked better. His hand was resting on an empty cup that balanced on the arm of his sofa, the bottle that he knew had been full earlier in the day was now almost empty and his head was tilted back to lay against the back of the couch, his eyes open but unseeing. It didn't look very comfortable.

Pressing his lips together, Morwey strode over, snatched up the crystal bottle and stopper, reunited them and shut them back in the hidden space in the table. He saw Freedom was now watching him with a frown. Glancing at the cup in his hand and knowing that he wasn't going to get it out of his grip, he said, "I thought you were going to take it easy."

"What's it to _you_?" he grumbled.

"What if we needed you to fly again?"

"If you need me in any place other than the Dragon's Fangs, you're not as good as I thought you were."

"What if there was a problem with the Empress?"

Freedom snorted in false humor. "The Empress is already a problem."

Morwey crossed his arms. "Is that why you did this? I warned you…"

Freedom rose to his feet and took a step forward, swaying slightly as he stood. "It's not too much for me."

Morwey gave the captain a disapproving look. "I can see that."

"I can handle it!"

Morwey ducked as the glass flew inches from where his head had been. "Calm down."

Freedom fell back on the couch, his gaze not leaving Morwey but not quite focusing on him either.

"If this happens again, I _will _remove the alcohol from this cabin and have Slennon cut you off."

"And I thought _I_ was the captain," Freedom said bitterly.

"Get yourself sorted and you won't have to worry about it. I still don't know all that happened before I came aboard the _Saoirse_, but it's going to have to be dealt with. Soon."

With that, the second-in-command retrieved the carafe with the mismatched stopper and turned to go. "For now, I'll remove this. You'll need your wits about you for tomorrow."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Many hours had passed since the man called Freedom had flown them out of the Dragon's Fangs. Or maybe it had only been two. Under normal circumstances, she would be amazed, to say the least. Tatiana and Cassle had hardly been able to understand what had happened. But at that moment, Sophia couldn't be impressed by the captain. She was too busy being angry with him. In any case, she had lost track of time and was becoming increasingly restless.

That was when she heard the voices outside her door. She recognized one of them as Freedom's right-hand man, Morwey. He had seemed like an intelligent person…

She was at the door in the blink of an eye, banging on it (for it would no longer open for her) and calling for the man to come in so she could talk to him.

To her surprise, he complied, though he stood just inside the door, his back almost touching it, hands behind him. He was older than the captain, likely in his mid-forties, with a shortly cropped beard and similar hair, brown mixed in with gray to give him a scruffy, yet kind look.

"May I help you, Empress?"

"You certainly speak civilly to your prisoners," Sophia said, unable to stop the snarl from leaving her mouth.

"I try to make it a point to speak with civility to everyone," Morwey said, raising an eyebrow.

Sophia blushed, feeling a hint of shame. Fumbling with her words, she said, "I wish to speak to the captain."

"The captain is otherwise engaged."

"With what? I can tell he's not flying anymore."

"I've just left him in his cabin. Though you may not believe it, he is human and becomes tired after a long day just like anyone else. Now if you don't mind…"

Sophia, recognizing she wasn't going to get anything else out of him, nodded in some semblance of politeness.

"Good night, Empress," he said, turning, switching his hands to the front as he did and rapping twice on the door. It slid open and Sophia's eyes narrowed.

For when Morwey had been shifting the position of his hands, she had seen the glint of crystal and swishing liquid. _Tired after a long day. Right. More like tired after a long drink._

_-o-O-o-_

_What're ye doin' out here, lad? I thought I told ye to take it easy."_

_"Mm."_

_"Seamus told me you've been out here a good two hours! It's amazin' ye haven't yet froze to death, wearin' those old clothes. Get inside, now! Before I have to treat ye for frostbite!"_

_Alex got to his feet and walked into the house. _

_"Ye alrigh', Alex?" asked Seamus as the captain walked past him and toward his temporary room. _

_"Mm," was his only reply._

_"Is 'e alrigh', Gran'mum?"_

_Charlene shrugged, a sad edge in her eyes. "I think he's just gettin' restless. That man's not meant to be on the ground."_

_-o-O-o-_

Sophia expected a pained, pathetic creature in the place of Freedom, but when he came to the door to collect Mr. Cassle the next day, he appeared just as sharp as ever. Sophia consoled herself by deciding it was because most of his face was hidden.

"Where are you taking him?" Tatiana questioned.

"To his own quarters. You'll be here a while, so you might as well settle in."

"How long do you think you're going to be able to outrun the _Irbanus_?"

"As long as it takes," said the captain.

"As long as it takes for _what_?"

"For you to lead us to the _Silvana_."

Sophia frowned. He wasn't moving her guard for their comfort. Everything he did from this point on would be calculated to make a point and push her into giving in. And why shouldn't she give in? What was the old, unused ship to her? A memory, nothing more. But she wasn't going to let Captain Freedom have it.

"Well, I will speak to you later. I hope this room isn't still too cramped for you."

The room was large enough. That was a warning that Tatiana was going to go next. Then she would be on her own.

Why did he want the _Silvana _so badly? Surely it wasn't worth risking his life. Yet Freedom seemed almost desperate to get his hands on it. _But why?_

-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-


	7. The Familiar Man

_Disclaimer: I do not own Last Exile._

The Man Called Freedom- The Familiar Man

_"You need to stay here just a little beet longer, Alex!"_

_"Why? I'm perfectly capable of..." Alex hissed._

_"Yes, I know that, Alex, but for goodness sake, THINK. Ye need to get in the sky, aye?"_

_Alex crossed his arms, calming himself. He nodded._

_"Well, what exactly are ye goin' to use to get there, lad? Wax wings?"_

_Alex averted his eyes. "I have... an arrangement."_

_Mama Char raised an eyebrow. "Oh, ye mean Declen? I happen to know how long it's goin' to take to finish that little project of yours."_

_Alex's eyebrows drew together. "How?"_

_"Declen told me, of course. He had to make sure ye weren't some sort of crazy person, didn't 'e?" _

_-o-O-o-_

If there was one thing Sophia hadn't expected after being kidnapped, it was boredom. Sitting in a room on a ship with a highly tense pilot as she waited for the return of a lunatic determined to find, and likely steal, the most powerful ship in existence. Her captain's ship. Her ex-captain's ship.

Tatiana broke the quiet. "As much as I don't want him anywhere near the _Silvana_… We need to think about your safety, ma'am."

"What are you saying?" Sophia felt a chill creep up inside of her. Tatiana was one of the few people who knew where the _Silvana _was being kept. If she decided that Sophia was in real danger, and that the ship wasn't worth protecting…

Tatiana looked at Sophia with real emotion, obviously upset. "You are more important than the ship of a dead man!"

Sophia's mouth dropped open. She knew how much it hurt for the young woman to say those words. She also knew it couldn't have been more than it hurt her to hear. She felt tears prickling at her eyes. Was she saving the _Silvana _for a man who would never come to get it? No. She was honoring him. She was making sure no one could misuse it. Wasn't she?

_-o-O-o-_

Freedom reappeared at the door in the late afternoon. "Good evening," he said, the corner of his mouth lifting up in a smirk.

"Not really," Sophia said snidely.

The captain ignored her and strode into the room. "I admire your determination, as well as your loyalty, but… Alex Rowe is no more. The _Silvana _belongs in the sky, not sitting in a dock somewhere."

"How do you know it doesn't have a new captain, already?"

"With the connections I have, I would know."

"And yet, even with your _connections_, you have no idea where it is."

"You made _very_ sure of that, Empress."

"What would you do with the _Silvana_ if you found it? Why is it so important to you?"

Freedom smiled, but it was humorless. He tapped the door and it slid open. "Escan, Thomas. It has come to my attention that these quarters are too small for the Empress. I think we should move her." Two men walked in and toward the Empress.

Sophia's eyes widened. "What purpose is there for separating us?"

"I only want you to be comfortable." He stepped closer to her and Sophia felt herself shiver, as if the coldness in his voice had leaked into her body. Alex had made her feel like that before. But this wasn't Alex. "You could… persuade me, if you really like it here more than somewhere else."

"It's large enough! The room is wonderful; you're very generous," she said.

He leaned toward her until he was close enough to speak into her ear. "Wrong answer." He stepped back and walked toward the door. "The room next to mine will do," he said to Escan and Thomas as he passed.

"Wait!"

Sophia closed her eyes at the sound of Tatiana's voice. Freedom stopped, but didn't turn.

"Tatiana, don't," Sophia said stiffly. "I'll be fine."

"Sophia, I can't." Her eyes shifted to Freedom's back. "I know where the _Silvana _is."

Now Freedom turned. Sophia saw a desperation in his eyes that hadn't been there before. "Where?"

"I need to know that the Empress will be safe. I won't say a word of the location until she is off this ship."

"Oh, in that case, shall I drop her off at the palace?" he snarled. "No. She will not be released until I am safely aboard my ship!"

Sophia froze. _No. Stop it, Sophia! _Freedom's voice had changed when he shouted that last sentence. It became deeper, more rich. _Just like… No! He's dead! _

The captain was obviously trying to regain control, as was Tatiana. "I will make one offer," he said slowly. "As soon as you tell me where it is, I will allow you to make contact with one person of your choosing."

Sophia's eyebrows drew together. Why would he do that? They could tell Vincent where to go and he would be captured. What did he have up his sleeve?

_-o-O-o-_

_Alex's shoulders were tense and his back was fully upright. "I admit there is still a couple weeks worth of repairs left... But I could go help out. Get out of your way."_

_Mama Char gave him her look of disapproval. "You're not in the way, lad! And where ye gonna sleep? The gutters?" She laughed. "I think not! Put yer stuff back in tha' room and come ta dinner. When it's time ta go, I'll release ye!" She set a hand on his arm, letting herself relax before speaking again. "We know ye gotta go, Alex, but you need to be logical about this. We want ye to make it."_

_Alex sighed and turned back toward his room, his small sack on his shoulder. "Alright. But I must leave as soon as it's done."_

_"If there's somethin' that important to ye out there, I won't stop ye. Must be pretty spectacular."_

_"You have no idea."_

_-o-O-o-_

"Will you give us a few moments to think it over?" Sophia asked, trying to get her mind back on what they needed to do.

Freedom nodded and swept out of the room, followed by the guards.

Sophia turned on Tatiana. "I need to make something very clear..."

_-o-O-o-_

Vincent was pacing as he told the young vanship pilot what he wanted him to do. Finally, he stopped before him. "Would you be willing to do this, Claus? It could be very dangerous."

"For Sophia and Tatiana? Of course we'll do it. Do you know anything about the man who's got them?"

Vince shook his head. "No more than I've already said. It's like he doesn't exist. He just… came out of nowhere."

Claus frowned and looked over at Lavie. She nodded, somewhat reluctantly. Claus returned his attention to Vincent. "Where are they?"

Vincent looked embarrassed. "Well… We don't really…"

He was interrupted by one of his men bursting into the room. "Sir! We have contact with Empress Sophia!"

Vincent, Claus, and Lavie shared a look of surprise before jumping into action and running for the viewing screen.

"Sophia!" Claus called upon seeing her.

"Claus? Lavie?" she said.

"Where are you? We're going to come help you."

"That's what I have to tell you. We're going to take him to the _Silvana._"

"What?" Vincent was obviously angry. "Where is it?"

"Claus will tell you."

Vincent's eyebrows drew together. "Did you tell everyone except me, Sophia?"

"This isn't the time, Captain." Sophia's voice was all business. "He knows I'm telling you where we're going. He knows you will come after us. I'm not sure what he has planned, but we can't underestimate him. Not again."

"I don't like this," Vincent sighed.

"None of us do. But we're running out of options. Send Claus and Lavie ahead. I want them to make sure this isn't all a big trap."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And Vincent?"

"Yes?"

"Don't let him take the _Silvana. _That ship belongs to Alex Rowe."

A man in a mask walked up behind Sophia. "And so the race begins."

With those words, the communication was cut.

Claus stared with his head tilted in confusion.

"What's wrong?" Lavie asked.

"I know those eyes. They're like my father's."

-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-


	8. The Lost Man

_Disclaimer: I do not own Last Exile._

The Man Called Freedom- The Lost Man

_"Gran-mum says ye're lookin' for somethin'."_

_"I suppose."_

_"Well, what is it?"_

_"The answer to a riddle."_

_"What do ye mean? Is tha' all?"_

_Alex shrugged. "Perhaps."_

_-o-O-o-_

Days passed with Sophia and Tatiana stuck in their room. Someone would come by with food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They weren't starved. It seemed nothing was held back from them but their freedom. Sophia snorted at the irony.

"Do you think they'll get there before us?"

"Vincent is very determined. I'm sure he will be there before Freedom can get the _Silvana _in the air."

"What if he isn't?"

"I'm more worried about why he let us tell Vincent where we are going. He's practically orchestrating his own capture."

"Could he have known where the _Silvana _was all along?"

"Then what would be the point in this?"

"Maybe he's set up an ambush. The _Irbanus _is the only ship we have that rivals the _Silvana. _Maybe he wants to destroy it."

"He asked us to meet him at the Dragon's Fangs. And we waltzed right in. He could have attacked the _Irbanus _there if that was all he was after. No… He didn't know where the _Silvana _was." Sophia let out a loud sound of frustration. "If only we knew who he was or why that ship is so _important _to him!"

"Maybe he wants to sell it? The _Silvana_… There are people who would pay dearly to have it for themselves."

"No," Sophia said pensively. "No. It's all about the ship for him. If only I knew…" A look of determination took over her face. "My guess is we won't see him again until we get there. If I get nothing else out of this, I will see the face of the man who's kept me here."

_-o-O-o-_

_The days passed and eventually Declen appeared at Charlene's door. He asked her how Alex was doing and Mama Char informed him that he was doing much better than expected. She also told him not to say anything about the tattoos. _

_Alex sat in the chair with his legs sprawled out before him and his back rigid. "Is it done?"_

_Declen nodded. "Yep. It's done. But just where do you plan to take it?"_

_Alex blinked. "I don't see how that's any of your concern."_

_Declen sighed. "You are one patient woman, Mama Char. You sure it's safe to send him into the sky?"_

_Charlene smiled. "Safe or not, I can't keep him locked up any longer. But yes, I think he'll do just fine."_

_Declen looked uncertain._

_"Forgive the lad, Declen. He is more than a beet restless."_

_Sometime during their conversation, Alex had gotten to his feet. Today is the day. He sighed. He would miss these people. He looked down when he felt something brush his coat and found Seamus staring up at him with sadness marring his face. _

_"Will ye come back?"_

_Alex hesitated slightly before settling his hand on the boy's mop of reddish-brown hair. "I'll try."_

_"Ye'll be alrigh', won'tcha, Alex?"_

_"I don't know," he said quietly._

_The boy smiled and hugged him around the waist. "Ye'll be alrigh'."_

_-o-O-o-_

Claus felt heavy as he approached the solitary structure, the home to a single ship. The _Silvana. _He also felt surprise, for it looked just as it had the last time he'd seen it. There were no hidden ships waiting to attack, no signs that the place had been compromised. But he had to make sure…

"Lavie, we're going to need to land and make sure there's nothing fishy going on inside."

"Alright, Claus." Though Lavie had gained some courage since their time with Captain Alex Rowe, she was obviously having trouble with the idea of being on the _Silvana _again. She hadn't had the connection with the captain that Claus had. She didn't understand. But then, she'd never had that look in her eyes…

"Claus!" Lavie screamed. "What are you doing?"

The vanship had suddenly dropped and swerved. Claus blinked and took control again, leading the small ship into the hangar and landing swiftly. He sat there in silence for a moment. _How many eyes have I seen like that? Like my father's, but with so much more desire, yet so… empty. The only man I've seen with eyes like that… _Claus shook his head and jumped out of the vanship. "He's dead."

"What?" Lavie asked.

"Nothing. Let's hurry." He looked over at the _Silvana_, alone and silent. It looked dead, too. "It creeps me out seeing it like this."

The whole hangar was deserted, as well as the _Silvana _itself. Claus couldn't help but shudder as he walked down the silent halls, and so he made his trip quick. By the time they stood next to the vanship again, he was satisfied. The place was completely deserted.

"Let's take another quick trip around the outside and then we'll make contact."

_-o-O-o-_

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir. There's no one here."

"Alright, then. Contact me at the first sign of the _Saoirse_'s arrival."

"Yes, sir." Claus sighed as the line went silent and he turned to Lavie. "Hungry?"

She nodded. "Mmhm."

_-o-O-o-_

"We should be there soon," Sophia said tensely.

"Are you worried?" Tatiana asked.

"No."

The younger woman didn't seem convinced, but she remained silent.

_-o-O-o-_

"I would try to talk you out of this, but there is really no turning back at this point."

Freedom looked up at Morwey from his seat on his small couch in his cabin. "I would have to agree with you on that point."

"That ship is really worth all this to you." It was almost a question, but more a statement of wonder.

"That ship made me."

Morwey's eyebrows drew together. "No, Captain. You made that ship."

Freedom shrugged. "Either way, I must get it back. The _Silvana_… is my freedom."

Morwey let out a sigh. "And what about the Empress? You've declared yourself her enemy even as she continues to mourn for you."

Freedom was silent.

"Two years… and she still flinches at your memory."

"You know what to do when we get there, Morwey?" He reached for the hidden compartment.

"You're still young. There is a possibility that you could fix this. Make a real life for yourself."

Freedom snorted. "There is little chance of that." He poured himself a drink and stared at it in the glass for a moment before gulping it down all at once. "Besides… This is my life. The sky, the _Silvana… _that's all I need. Freedom."

Morwey looked sad. "This is not freedom, son."

Freedom shot him a look. "Do you know what to do when we get there?"

Morwey pulled his hands behind his back, resigned. "Yes, Captain."

"Good. Make sure the men are prepared. We won't have much time to make the switch before Vincent shows up."

"And if he is already there?"

"If he is already there, I'll have the Empress long enough to get you on board the _Silvana_, and then I'll have a little surprise for them."

_-o-O-o-_

Vincent was not in position when he got the message from Claus telling him that a ship was approaching. But he was close. Even if they all got on the _Silvana_, they would never make it out of the dock. He would make sure of that.

_-o-O-o-_

Claus watched the ship glide toward them as his stomach twisted with nerves. He and Lavie had landed the vanship in a shadowed corner of the bay so it would not be immediately noticed. Now, he stood and pulled his friend up next to him.

"We should go hide behind the vanship. We don't want them to see us right away."

Lavie followed him, biting her lip. "What do we do when they notice us? It's not going to take long once they're here."

"I'll say I'm here for the Empress, to make sure he follows through with his side of the deal. We're going to have to rely on Commander Arthai for the rest."

_-o-O-o-_

"This is going to be a close call, sir."

Freedom's eyes stared ahead, seeing only his prize. _Finally… _

"Everyone prepare for the transfer. I want all of you out of this ship and on the Silvana by the time I get there. I'll be taking us down." There was a sudden burst of energy as everyone scrambled to the door, running to get to their rooms for their few belongings before it was time to make their final exit from this fine ship. Freedom spoke to Morwey without looking at him. "It is time. Prepare Sophia and Tatiana to disembark. This is their stop."

"It's also your last chance, captain."

Freedom gave no response.

"As you wish," Morwey said with a sigh. He didn't like what his Captain was doing, but he was loyal, and he cared for him, perhaps as a son, so he would follow him to the end.

_-o-O-o-_

Sophia blinked as the light changed from stepping out of the _Saoirse_. Freedom's man had come to escort them both off the ship, and she looked around as she saw the entire crew hurrying onto the _Silvana_. Then she spotted something else in the shadows on the other end of the docking station…

"A scout?"

Sophia jumped and spun around to see Freedom walking up behind her. She grinned at him and prepared to put her plan into action when…

"Empress Sophia!" She twirled again to see Claus and Lavie running toward her from the vanship. "Hold tight, Ms. Sophia!" he called, stopping at a safe distance. Almost the entire crew was aboard the _Silvana_ now.

Then she saw the _Irbanus. _So did Freedom. His strong arm slung around her neck and held her back to him as he made his way into clear view of the other ship. Sophia's hands instinctively went to his arm, but he wasn't holding her hard enough to hurt her. He held a device to her ear.

"Speak to them," he demanded. He could tell their guns were already trained on the _Silvana_.

"Commander?" she said, more nervous than she would like to admit. She didn't want Alex's ship destroyed… but she knew Vincent wouldn't hesitate.

"Empress." He sounded surprised, but not unhappy to hear from her. "This is going to be a very dangerous operation. You need to get away from him. There is a second vanship ready to pick you up now."

"You will divert your guns from my ship, Commander Arthai," Freedom said.

"I will do no such thing until Sophia is safe."

"If she is safe, you will fire."

"You should have thought of that before you made an enemy of the Empire."

As they spoke, Sophia had managed to squirm around so she was facing him. Freedom looked down at her. The mask shifted as his eyebrows rose, surprised to see such a determined look on her face.

"I will know you," she growled. She thought she saw the smallest smile as her hand flew up to the mask, but as she gripped the edge, all sense fled her. She ripped the mask away, and her mouth opened in a silent scream. Her eyes met empty ones, so, so very familiar. "Alex…" The name escaped in what was barely a whisper, and yet it seemed to echo all around her. Suddenly, he glanced to see that all of his men were aboard the _Silvana_, and he pushed her away. Tatiana caught her, but they both stumbled.

Vincent saw Freedom running toward his ship with one other man, and he also saw Sophia on her knees, not moving.

"Get to the vanship!" The shout came from the small, abandoned device as well as the throat of Claus, startling Sophia out of her shock enough to stumble to the communication device.

"Hold your fire!" she screamed into it, her voice wild, almost devoid of sanity.

"Sophia, you must get to the vanship. He'll escape!"

Alex had disappeared into the _Silvana _and she could hear it starting.

"HOLD YOUR FIRE!" Her voice was firmer now. "It's Alex! I won't kill him again! Hold your fire!"

Tatiana ran to Sophia and pulled her to the vanship that Claus and Lavie had come in as the _Silvana _began to rise. It was alive again, along with its Captain. Sophia's body heaved, and she was unsure of the truth of what had just happened.

"Sophia…"

"That's an order, Commander." She managed to muster enough clarity to sound like she was capable of giving out orders.

With a shout of anger, Vincent yelled, "Hold your fire!"

As the _Silvana_ made its way into open sky again, there was near silence on the _Irbanus. _As it began to move, one of the crew said, "We're just going to let it go?"

"That was the Empress' order."

"But…" the man started.

"This will not be our last chance to take him down. He has declared himself an enemy of the Empire, and he will be destroyed. Just not today."

Something was bugging him, though. Sophia had said "It's Alex" when she had told him not to fire. He hadn't thought her so attached, so weak that she would let a criminal go free to save the ship of a dead man just because it held memories. She had to move on, or she would be deemed unfit to lead. She would have much to account for when he had her safely back on the _Irbanus_.

Sophia watched the _Silvana _retreat. It was only when she could no longer see it that she allowed Tatiana and Claus to help her to the vanship that was waiting for her.

Vincent was waiting for her alone when she entered the _Irbanus. _He looked very unhappy. "We can still go after them," he said.

"No." Her eyes were unfocused and her voice seemed far away.

"Sophia, what is wrong with you?" he snapped.

"It was Alex."

"What are you talking about," he hissed. "It's a ship, not a person!"

Tears leaked from Sophia's eyes. "Freedom. Alex Rowe is the man called Freedom."

Vincent's eyes widened, thinking she was delirious. But when he looked at Tatiana, she nodded. "It's true. Alex Rowe is alive."

_-o-O-o-_

_The vanship was old, but when compared to its state when Alex had found it, it was shining like a gem. As he flew through the Dissith sky without a navigator, he knew this was going to be one of his most difficult trips. But at least he knew exactly where he was going; there was only one place for a man like Alex Rowe to find a ship..._

_-o-O-o-_

He was finally sitting in the Captain's chair on his _Silvana_ again. Everything was as it had been, barring the crew.

It was familiar. It felt like home.

But it didn't feel _right…_

...And the roses still bound him.

-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-

_Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading this story! I know this is a bit of a cliffhanger, but don't worry- this is only part one. Part two is The Man Called Freedom: The Silvana, and the first chapter will be coming as soon as my studies allow! It will be a separate story on here, so if you have reviewed this story, I can send you a message letting you know when it is up. Thanks again; it really does mean a lot to me that you take the time out of your lives to read my work. –A.P._


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